Rebelliance
by Inkcrafter
Summary: How does it feel to be unable to see your enemy right in front of you? No doubt unsettling, no? Only able to hear me, sounds can be deciving." He clarrified, cupping the raven haired male's chin, fingers gripping tightly and nails digging into the boy's flesh. "Ah yes, I have great plans for you, Jackson Darby. Great plans indeed." He didn't know that Jack wouldn't give in.
1. Chapter 1

_**Okay, this was just spur of the moment idea that I just HAD to write. Tell me what you think. Btw, there IS an Oc, but he's important to the story cuz he's the bad guy (I listened to the song 'When you're evil' when I was writing, cuz that's like his theme). So...yeah! Review if you think this is worthy of continuing! Oh! And here's an energon cookie!**_

Jack winced as the cuffs dug even deeper into the now raw flesh on his wrists.

M.E.C.H had fallen into new hands, it seemed (since Silas was most definately out of commision), yet the new leader was just as ruthless as Silas had been. He had come to his home in the dead of night, while Arcee was on a mission and his mother working a late shift at the hospital.

Jack remembered how he'd fought so hard to try and escape, how he'd kicked and punched, scratched and yelled. But in the end it was useless, he'd been gagged and blindfolded, dragged off and thrown into a truck.

He'd been chained to the ceiling, dangling (though his feet were chained as well), only the gag had been removed, and then he'd been left in the room, blind to the world around him.

Jack's head jerked up as the sound of a heavy metal door opening echoed through the still air, he remained silent as footsteps were heard, approaching him, while the door scraped shut once again.

The tap of footsteps came even closer, then echoed as the owner to the sound slowly circled Jack.

The raven haired teen couldn't help but to turn his head towards the noise when it reached first his left, then his right. His breath was shallow, ragged as Jack fought to calm his racing heart.

The footsteps stopped in front of him. Two callused fingers dipped under his chin to lift Jack's head slightly, turning it to both sides as the stranger inspected the raven haired teen.

"So you are the one that outsmarted Silas. The boy called Jack." A male voice stated. It was cold and slightly aggresive, yet was smooth, it sent chills down Jack's spine.

A warm breath fanned across Jack's face, making the teen try to jerk away. But the hand that lifted his head was quicker, gripping his face, finger tips pressed painfully hard into his jaw.

"Ah-ah, I would suggest that you remain still. Remember, I have all the power in this situation." The voice hissed, the hand slightly squeezing his face harder, making Jack give a small sound of pain and disscomfort.

"W-who are you?" Jack snarled through gritted teeth, ignoring the dull throb of pain that now resided in his captive jaw.

The man chuckled, releasing the onyx haired male's face and moving a few paces away, begining to slowly pace in front of the captive teen. The slow sound of his steps was taunting, a painful reminder that while Jack was here, the man had all the time in the world with the boy.

"I see, right to the point, yes?" The smirk was clearly heard in the voice, and Jack had to resist the urge to snap at the man.

"I am Damien, Damien Grey. The leader of M.E.C.H."

"What about Silas?" Jack asked, unable to stop the question.

The man, Damien, laughed full throatedly. It was harsh and spine chilling.

"Silas is out of commision. But you didn't really think _he_ was the leader of M.E.C.H, did you? I suppose though, you never thought that Silas answered to someone else, yes?"

Jack's head jerked towards Damien's general direction. Everyone thought Silas was the leader, but this '_Damien_' was?

Damien chuckled at the teen's actions.

"You know, when I learned about your friends, these 'Autobots', I found myself quite interested. But after you out-smarted my SIC (A/N: second in command), I became much more interested in you."

Jack felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and goose bumps rise on his flesh. Damien began to circle Jack once again, so very, _painfully_ slow.

"You were able to find a way to escape Silas' clutches, were able to save your mother _and_ that Autobot, and so _simply_ as well. I wonder that, if equipt properly, how effective you could be for my...M.E.C.H's, cause."

"As if I'd ever fight for M.E.C.H!" Jack snapped, head jerking towards the sound of footfalls, to his right.

Damien laughed once again, the sound chilling to the bone.

"Ah, you may say that now, boy. But I have learned that with proper _incentive_, that one's mind can be changed quite quickly."

Silence reigned the room for what felt like hours, yet was only minutes as Damien examined the teen.

"How does it feel?" He suddenly asked.

Jack gave a slight start of surprise.

"Wh...what?"

The man lightly chuckled then moved forward, his breath once again fanning across Jack's face.

"How does it feel to be unable to see your enemy right in front of you? No doubt unsettling, no? Only able to hear me, sounds can be deciving." Damien clarrified, cupping the raven haired male's chin, fingers gripping tightly and nails digging into the boy's flesh.

Jack growled and sturuggled to free his head, but utterly failed.

"You're insane." Jack snarled as his head was forced to turn this way and that.

His captor blantly ignored him, obviosly having heard the words many times before.

"Hm, you're a little thin, but you'll do fine." Damien suddenly said. Jack yelped when a hand gently touched his taught stomach as proof of how thin he was.

Jack's heart pounded painfully against his ribcage, each breath a painful fight to keep steady.

"D-don't touch me."

His voice was strained, yet still held a considerable amout of strength to it.

"Again, may I remind you, _I_ hold all the cards here?" Damien replied with a chuckle.

"Ah yes, I have great plans for you, Jackson Darby. Great plans indeed."

"Wh-why are you doing th-this? You'll gain nothing!" Jack snapped as Damien released his face and the man laughed boisterously.

Jack hissed in pain as sharp, cold metal was suddenly slid lightly across the delicate skin of his belly, easily passing through his shirt. Warm liquid soaked his shirt and skin, staining it red.

"A very easy question to answer. When I set my sights on something, nothing can distract me."

Damien paused, smirked as he ran two fingers over the cut, staining the tips heavily in blood. He lifted his hand, pressing the crimson stained fingers against the teen's closed lips, dragging it across and thickly coating Jack's mouth with the metalic tasting liquid.

"And my sights have been set on _you_. The one other human that has actual potential besides myself."

Damien walked away, stopping at the metal door as it began to open once again.

"And it's fairly easy to do this when you're evil."

The man smiled deviously (though Jack was blind to it).

"We'll speak again soon, Jack. That you can count on."

The door shut, leaving Jack alone in the silence once again, the only sound being the drip of his blood from both his cut and stained lips.

Jack fell slack, head down and allowing the blood to drip (at an only slightly faster pace). His lips parted and he let out a shuddering breath.

"Arcee...Optimus..._someone_...S-save me..."


	2. Chapter 2

Jack jerked awake when the scraping of the metal door resounded through the cold room.

He found, to his disspleasure, that he was still blindfolded, but he could feel that the cut on his stomach had been cleaned and covered with a few, weak bandages.

"Rest well, Jack?"

The raven haired teen recognized the voice, it was the dark, smooth tone of Damien.

Jack didn't reply, and simply turned his head away from the man's general direction. Damien chuckled and moved forward.

Jack jumped slightly when something soft and dry was pressed to his lips.

"I thought perhaps you'd like something to eat. It isn't poisoned, I can't risk it with such a valuable soldier."

"I'm not a soldier." Jack replied, voice slightly muffled by the food (which he soon recognized to be bread) pressed before his lips, the dry crust tickling his lips.

"Believe me, the potential that lies burried within you is phenominal, despite your beliefs." Damien replied, taking the chance to push the bread into Jack's mouth.

The teen choked it down, grudgingly. Though it made his thirst intensify, it did slightly satisfy his hunger.

"M.E.C.H has been searching for the greatest weapon to mankind. Silas believed it was those 'Autobots', I thought so as well, at first. Then I learned of how you had gotten away from him and that other robot as well, that 'Airachnid'. I let Silas indulge himself with these Autobots, allowed him to splurge much of our fundings, though he barely caused a dent in my financial profits. But while he did that, I sent many of my most trusted scouts to follow you, learn everything about you.

I now know that you are the weapon I have been searching for, with a few Cybernetic modifications and training, combined with the abilities you already poses, that is."

Damien paused, grasping Jack's face and pouring water into the boy's parted lips. The teen sputtered, choking a bit before recovering from the sudden forced onslaught of liquid.

Damien chuckled as Jack growled lowly.

"You are an insane, twisted bastard." Jack snarled, shaking the hand off his face.

"Perhaps." Damien replied, amusement evident in his voice.

"Take this fraging blindfold off, you stuffed-shirt-son-of-a-!"

"Ah-ah-ah, language, Jack. Now don't you worry about that blindfold, maybe if you are on your best behavior I'll have it removed...in a couple weeks or so."

Damien laughed full-throatedly as Jack's head snapped in his direction, alarmed. The raven haired male then snarled.

"Bastard."

Damien chuckled, tauntingly patting Jack's cheek.

"I do try." He teased before pushing another piece of bread between the teen's half-parched lips. Jack ate it, though wondered for a moment if it would be worth trying to bite the man's fingers off. But decided against it in the end.

Silence reigned the room for a long while as the man forced Jack to eat bread, with water being slipped down his throat now and then.

Jack couldn't understand why the man was doing this himself. If it had been Silas, one of the M.E.C.H soldiers would be feeding him and forcing water into his throat, if it was Silas still leading the majority for Damien, then the water would no doubt have been poisoned.

Finally Jack voiced the questions.

"Why the hell arn't you making one of your grunts do this?"

Damien paused for a moment. Then Jack stiffend as he heard shuffling, then a warm breath fanned over his face. Jack could nearly feel the uncomfortable closeness.

"Simple. You're special, Jack, a valuable asset. I want to make sure your stay is pleasureable." The man replied.

Jack jerked as his chin was grasped between an index finger and thumb and his head was tilted up.

"I'd suggest you accept my hospitality. I can become very violent very quickly."

The teen gasped when cold steel delicately scratched the underside of his chin. Blood swelled in small beads to slowly run down his neck.

"And believe me, Jack. You don't want that."

His voice was threatening, but somehow he made it scarily cheerful. It made Jack extremely nervous.

Damien chuckled, enjoying the boy's reaction very much.

"Well, I now have to bid you adue, I have so many things to attend to. Don't worry, you'll be graced by my presence again soon enough."

Jack scowled.

"I'd rather swallow a thousand knives then have to listen to _your_ voice again." He snarled.

Damien laughed,

"Ah, Jack, such a way with words." Damien replied, moving the hand from the teen's chin. Jack shuttered as a thumb suddenly ran along the cut, collecting the droplets of blood.

"Weren't you ever taught manners, Jack?"

He dipped his fingers below Jack's chin, then pressed the blood stained thumb to the teens mouth.

The thumb pushed past his lips.

Jack gasped, trying to strugle away, but it only allowed the thumb to go deeper, coating his tongue with the foul tasting, metalic blood.

"Get used to the blood, someday soon you'll be spilling it and enjoy watching the life dissapear from one's body." Damien murmured, voice dark and cold, yet it still held a sickening twinge of humor

"Mngh!"

Jack fought to move away as the man's thumb continued to coat his tongue with blood. The raven haired teen felt his heart pounding against his ribcage like a sledge hammer, blood moved from his tongue to drip down his throat, making him gag.

Damien smirked, finally removing his thumb from Jack's mouth, now cleaned of the blood. Damien then turned and silently left.

Once the door closed, Jack spit the blood onto the floor, though it's metalic flavor remained, staining his mouth and burning his throat. The onyx haired teen panted heavily, surprised to realize he hadn't breathed when the man had forced Jack's own blood into his mouth.

Jack fell limp, staring at the blackness the blindfold offered.

Tears began to burn his eyes...

But he refused to let them fall.

**Elsewhere in the M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

A man slowly walked down the hall, silent and graceful enough to rival a predatory cat.

The man was in his very late twenties to early thirties, with spikey silver-blonde hair that had mostly been tamed into a hair tie at the nape of his neck, so that the hair brushed bellow his shoulders. He was lean, most meat on his frame was muscle, but he was no where near as lean as the raven haired teen chained in the room he'd left. His cold, silver eyes glinted almost predatorily, and his mouth was quirked in a smirk.

He was dressed rather casually. He wore a simple black shirt that had metal, rib like structures over his shoulders and ribs, and a pair of black slacks, the same, light-weight metal ribs lining the sides. But his exposed arms were covered with weapons, mostly knives, but a few small guns as well.

Damien wiped his thumb carelessly on his shirt as he continued down the hall, thinking about the captive teen.

Yes, he'd been watching the raven haired male for some time now. Damien had allowed Silas to follow the Autobots, if only to keep the older man satisfied, while he rather kept his own eyes on the strange boy.

He'd almost immediately seen it when he first saw the boy on the footage sent from the scouts he'd sent to trail the teen. Jack moved in a way that was well thought out, each movement precise, he always kept his arms in a place to defend or attack from (especially around the red headed teen from his school, Vince). He kept well aware of his surroundings, and always thought before acting.

Damien had seen this only a few times before, and knew the signs. Jack had the instinct of a fighter, more evolved from the basic fight or flight instinct. The very few best assassins and soldiers in the world were the same, with instincts that by far surpassed that of most other people.

But Jack was...different some how, even from others with the same advanced instincts. The boy held amazing potential, Damien could clearly see it. Jack was ninty-seven percent compatable with the cybernetics plannned to be implanted in him, by far a higher compatablity then any other human or animal in the world.

Damien grinned. The boy was fun as well, like a toy, almost. His defiance made it even better when Damien showed how much power he had in this situation, how he could make the boy taste his own blood, and be unable to do a thing about it.

The man turned into a room, blantly ignoring the soldiers that saluted him as he went up to the security screens.

He stared at the screen that showed Jack in the cell, and he smirked when he saw the boy panting, trying to calm himself.

Yes. This would certainly be fun.

_**Hey everyone! Just wanted to say that if there's something you want to see in this story, or if you've got any suggestions, feel free to tell!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Flashback**

_June smiled as she came to thr turn that went onto her street. The late shift had been exhausting, but worth it when she remembered that she'd get to spend the whole day with Jack._

_She turned the corner._

_Then stopped._

_Her face went sheet white._

_Police cars and officers were in front of her house, it was taped off, the yellow caution bands keeping a crowd of people away._

_June immediately jumped out of her car and ran up._

_"Jack? JACK!"_

_One of the officers turned to look at her, grabbing the woman's shoulders when she tried to go under the tape._

_"Ma'am, is this your house?"_

_"Yes, it is! What happened? Where is my son!"_

_The officer held June's shoulders tightly, preventing her from going towards the house._

_"Ms...I'm sorry, but we found no one in the house. Someone broke into the house in the middle of the night. I'm sorry, ma'am, but they took your son."_

_June collapsed onto her knee's, slipping out of the police officer's hold. The raven haired woman stared at the front door which now was thrown off it's hinges and in splinters._

_June shook her head, not wanting to believe her son had been kidnapped._

_"__**JACK!**__"_

**Flashback end, Autobot base, 3rd POV**

It had been three days since June had found her home destroyed.

The people who'd done it hadn't taken anything, they'd only been after Jack, was the final deduction.

The 'bots had allowed her to stay in the base, since the home was unsafe and the furniture destroyed from a struggle that Jack had definately put up. While the police assumed there'd be a randsom in a few days time, the 'bots as well as June, Miko, Raf and Fowler knew it wasn't so simple.

It had been M.E.C.H. At first there had been some debate weither it had been M.E.C.H or the 'cons, but after looking over pictures of the damage, Optimus deemed it to be M.E.C.H (the 'cons would've simply ripped the roof from the building if they wanted Jack).

Miko, Bulk and Ratchet were enraged, and many times vocalized their want to rip the M.E.C.H soldiers apart. While Raf and 'Bee had become sad, and in Raf's case, scared for the missing teen. There was no doubt that Jack and Raf were close, almost like brothers since the teen seemed to take Raf's insight into account.

Arcee had been struck hard by the news, she'd locked herself in her quarters for a long stretch of hours before coming out once again, only to go to the training room to take out her deadly anger on a few poor 'con holograms.

Optimus, by far, had the most confusing reaction. His face stayed composed as always, but his optics were coated in emotion's no one could begin to name. The Prime had immediately contacted Fowler and _demanded_ that the Agent begin a search for M.E.C.H and the captive Jack. Optimus had then gone to his quarters and stayed there, requesting to be alone. He'd yet to come out.

The missing teen no doubt had a strange connection with everyone, but Optimus and Arcee especially.

His traits balanced out Arcee's, and was no doubt as stubborn as the femme. Arcee always carried a burden of sorts on her shoulders, from the deaths of her former partners. But Jack had come and taken some of that burden for her, not minding if he was cast aside as her partner when it came to the femme trying to extract revenge from Airachnid and Starscream.

And when it came to Optimus, no one was quite sure of how exactly the teen and Prime had formed the strange bond they had. Perhaps it was that Optimus saw that Jack carried a heavy burden as the Prime himself did. Or maybe it was the fire of need to protect his friends that burned brightly in the raven haired male. All that was seen was that Optimus felt he could turn to the young human in a time of need.

One thing was for sure, no matter the relationship between the teen and everyone else...

Everyone wanted him back.

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Jack awoke to the sound of the metal door scraping open. He hoped that it wasn't Damien, but his hopes were dashed when a now familiar chuckle echoed through the room, and a callused hand was placed on his cheek.

"Hello, Jack. Sleep well?"

"Don't touch me." The teen hissed in reply, head turning away from the rough palm.

Damien chuckled, begining to slowly circle Jack, inspecting the boy for what was likely the hundreth time. He then clicked his tongue.

"So skinny, doesn't your mother feed you enough?"

Jack's head jerked to the left, as close to the man's general direction as possible (which was hard, since the man had stopped behind him).

"Don't even bring my mom into this, you bastard."

Damien laughed, then moved forward so that he stood directly behind the teen, chest pressed to the boy's back. An arm wove over Jack's shoulder to cup his chin and tilt his head back at a slight angle.

"Oh, I wouldn't _dream_ of it, Jackie-boy."

Jack growled slightly, and Damien smirked, feeling the sound vibrate through the teen's throat.

"Now now, be nice, Jack. Maybe if you're a good boy, I'll call your little friends and tell them you're alive."

Jack's face immediately fell, his muscles, so tense before, going lax as panic hit him.

"That's it, just relax. I have no intention of letting anyone hurt you, and _I_ certainly don't plan on hurting you."

Jack shuttered as Damien's other hand reached up,encasing one of his hands still chained to the ceiling.

Damien chuckled as he stared down at the boy's slightly fearful face. Jack could smell faintly the scent of cigar smoke coming from the man, and his nose slightly wrinkled in disgust.

"Soon you will be even stronger then you are now. Not only physicly, but mentaly as well. You have a ninty-seven percent syncro rate with every cybernetic modification ever created, did you know? Even the few that we've dug up that are, what you'd call, 'Cybertronian'."

Jack gasped just barely.

"You're...You're lying." The teen murmured, voice heavy with emotion. Damien laughed lightly.

"Oh, that hurts, Jack. accusing me of being a liar? That breaks my heart."

"Good!" The onyx haired male replied sharply.

Damien chuckled, releasing his hold on the boy's hand and face before walking arouhd to stand in front of the teen.

"Ah, so cruel. But I don't lie Jack, that's such a bad habit. I'm telling you the truth. While you were asleep that first night, I sent in a drone to test your compatibility. In fact, right this second, thanks to some heavy drugging, you already have a very key component cybernetic in you."

"You fragged up bastard!" Jack yelled in rage, his normally calm and laid-back composure gone.

Damien laughed full throatedly, patting the teens cheek.

"I do try."

Now familiar, sharp and cold steel pressed lightly against the junction of Jack's neck and shoulder.

It slid across, lightly cutting the light tan skin. Then in one fluid motion, it jumped to slice his left cheek.

Jack hissed in pain, ignoring the callused thumb that lightly drew over the bleeding cut on his lower neck.

"I really do enjoy scarring your skin, it's so plain and smooth, no scars or anything." Damien commented, cleaning the blood off his thumb and grasping Jack's chin, tilting the teens head at a slight angle.

"You belong in an asylum, you twisted scrap head." Jack snarled in reply.

"Been there, wasn't my thing." Damien replied.

Jack jumped in surprise when something wet trailed over the cut on his cheek.

Was Damien seriously _licking_ him?

Damien ran his tongue over the cut, cleaning the blood away and making the injury sting.

"You're sick!" Jack snapped, jerking his head away.

Damien smirked, licking his lips.

"Like I haven't heard that one before. Well, I now bid you adue, I'm a very busy man. Rest up Jack, tomorow we begin making you into our ultimate weapon."

The door scraped, open, then shut, and Jack was alone in the dark silence.

Jack scowled as his cheek, now wet and chilly, stung.

Really comforting to know that the leader of M.E.C.H was a man who'd once been in an asylum.

Sarcasm, had to love it.

_**Hey everyone! Just wanted to say thanks for all your reviews, and tell you that, no, this ISN'T going to turn into a yaoi story. Cuz Jack doesn't swing that way (I'm positive of that) and Damien isn't interested in Jack in that sort of way at ALL, he just loves making Jack angry and nervous. Yeah, nothing like that will happen again probably, with the licking thing. And no kissing or M-rated stuff. Anywho, see y'all later! ^_^**_


	4. Chapter 4

"Sir, we're ready to begin implanting the cybernetics in the boy."

Damien glanced over his shoulder at the M.E.C.H medical officer, taking a drag from the cig that sat idly between his fingers.

"Yeah? Alright then. Go ahead an' put him under, no one's to talk to him, and under no circumstances remove the blindfold."

"Put him under? Sir, are you sure? The drugs are extremely expensive and we only have enough to put the boy down for a few hours, we'd have to buy even more and that would take a long while considering that the goverment is looking for-"

"And when has money _or_ time ever been a concern of mine? Just do it, or we'll have a problem, and I'm sure you don't want that." Damien cut in, shifting slightly.

The medical officer nervously glanced at the knives and small guns strapepd to the man's arms and the gun at his hip.

"N-no sir. We'll b-begin immediately."

Damien smirked and waved a hand in dismissal as he looked back at the security screen, watching the captive teen shift slightly and wince as the chains dug into his wrists.

**Jack's POV**

I lifted my head as I heard the metal door unlock and then open.

Multipule footsteps echoed around the room, and when I heard no taunts I knew Damien wasn't one of the many people.

"Who...Who's there?"

There was no reply, only the sound of footsteps. It sounded like there were about a dozen or so people.

"Answer me, damnit!" I snarled, strugling.

I stiffened when a few pairs of hand grabebd me, undoing the chains on my arms and legs. I struggled as I was hefted onto a cold, metal surface. If I could only break free of these people, I could escape!

My hands and legs were once again restrained, though this time my hands were not in the very painful position above my head, but rather outstretched to each side.

"Let me go!" I screamed angrily as I heard machines being quickly set up in the room.

"I said LET ME G-"

I was cut off as a mask was placed over my nose and mouth. I was being drugged, I realized.

I strugled to stay awake, thrashing around.

But in the end I couldn't fight the sleep and passed out.

**Autobot base, 3rd POV**

June sighed as she stared at the mug in her hands. Steam rolled off it, dissapearing into the still air of the silo.

"Ms. Darby."

June jumped, gasping as she quickly looked to the entry way. She sighed in relief to see it was only Optimus.

"Hey." She murmured gently in greeting, turning to sit sideways on the couch.

"I thought you would be resting, it is very late."

The raven haired woman smiled sadly.

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I might as well have something to drink."

Optimus nodded, moving to stand next to the cement deck.

"I see."

Everything was silent for a few moments, then June finally built up the courage to speak.

"...Optimus? Do you...Do you think Jack will be alright? Do you think that...we'll find him?"

The Prime looked at the woman, slightly surprised that she'd asked such a question. He looked away for a moment, considering his next words.

"...Jack may be young, but he is strong, mature and wise beyond his years. I believe he will remain strong, and I believe that we will find him. And once we do, I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure this never happens to him, nor you, nor Miko or Raf, will have to go through this again."

June smiled at the Prime, taking a small sip from the mug. Silence reigned once again, but for a shorter time. June then broke the quiet once again.

"You care a lot about Jack, don't you? Not that you don't care about Miko or Raf, but you share a strange bond with him."

Optimus was quiet for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"It is true that I care for the children equally, I have become closer with Jack than with Miko or Rafael. He is different from other's his age. He is much more mature, and always has a weight upon his shoulders. He protects Miko and Raf as well as he is able to, paying no mind to his own well being. I share a conection with him because I too have experienced such things. And because I trust him as though he were a fellow Autobot."

June nodded, laughing lightly.

"Ah, I see."

She stood, setting the mug in her hands aside and moving to the railing. She leaned on it, smiling softly at the 'bot leader.

"I'm sure Jack would be honored to hear that. He doesn't take loyalty, trust, or integrity lightly."

Optimus looked at the woman with mild surprise. June laughed and moved down the steps and towards the entryway.

"Goodnight, Optimus."

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Damien smirked as he entered the holding cell.

The newest Cybernetic additions placed in Jack had worked perfectly, responding at syncronizing with the teen easily.

Said teen was now rechained, but this time he was on his knee's, arms outstretched to their limit on either side, chains rooted into the walls. His ankles were linked to the floor, and how he'd been rechained without waking, even Damien wasn't sure.

The man moved forward, setting down the plate of food he'd brought for Jack and kneeling down. He ran a hand along a scar, noting that he might need to bring the teen a new shirt. The scar ran over the teens right shoulder, and Damien was pleased to see that the new 'self-repairing' system that had been implanted, had already sealed the wound with black metal and white circutry and wires.

Jack groaned groggily, and Damien's smirk widend as he continued to play with the white wires.

"Mngh..."

Jack made a face as the wires sent uncormfortable and unpleasant sensations through him. His mind took a few minutes to catch up with him, but he soon remembered what had happend, and jerked away from the hand with a gasp.

Damien chuckled.

"Careful, Jack. You're still recovering." The man said in a sing-song voice as he picked up the plate and selected a piece cooked meat.

Jack immediately scowled at Damien's voice.

The man shuckled again before pressing the food to the teens closed lips. Jack hesiated and Damien sighed.

"Relax, it isn't poisoned, it's just food. For gods sake, do you think I'd really kill you?"

"Yes."

Damien snorted at the kurt reply, taking the chance of Jack's open mouth to slip the meat in.

"Ouch, that burns. But really, you're the ultimate weapon, and unlike Silas with the Autobots, I don't try to destroy the original and create one myself that can't be nearly as good."

Another piece of food, this time bread. He continued.

"And I'm not one to kill, maybe brutally maul, but not kill. Don't you think if I wanted to kill you or hurt you, I'd have let my medical staff operate on you while still concious?"

Jack shuttered at the thought while Damien opened a bottle and pressed it to the onyx haired male's lips.

"I might be younger than Silas, but I'm not so stupid as to think torture answers everything." Damien concluded, tipping the bottle and allowing Jack to take three large gulps of the water.

When the bottle moved away from his lips, Jack spoke.

"...Whatever, of you think I'll believe you at your word."

Damien smirked as he offered another bit of food.

"I didn't expect you to believe me. I'm mostly here to give you human companionship, anyway. I don't mind doing it unlike those Autobots."

"Just shut u...What...what do you mean, 'unlike the bots'?"

Damien grinned, though made his voice sound kind and pittying.

"Those 'bots wouldn't keep you nor your friends around if they didn't have to protect you. And they most likely dislike you most of all, from what I've learned, if it wasn't for you climbing on that female Cybertronian, the other two kids and your mom wouldn't have been dragged into this."

Jack felt his heart jump into his throat and he twitched. Damien sensed he'd touched a nerve and continued (albeit carefully) to prod.

"I'm sure at time's they find you all usefull, of course, but still...I can't help but wonder if they find your friendship valuable or if you're simply something they have to protect. But I don't know, I've never met them, personally."

Damien then stood with a small grunt and dusted himself off.

"I've got things to attend to, see you later."

"You're wrong!"

Damien halted, then turned slowly to look at the teen.

"...What did you say?"

Jack gathered his courage.

"You're wrong. It may be my fault that my friends and mom have been pulled into this, and I might not be exactly helpful. But one thing I know, is that me and my friends arn't a burden, and the 'bots, my friends, _all of them_, we're all family. So don't you _dare_ talk about them as though they are worse then _you_."

Jack panted after the small rant, then, in a voice that was surprisingly steady, he repeated for a third time.

"You're. _Wrong_."

Damien was silent for a moment, then spoke. And for the first time, his voice was void of humor, instead a cold and violent tone.

"Maybe, maybe _not_."

_**Hey y'all! I just wanted to ask if anyone has any idea's for this story. Anywho, buh-bye!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

A week. A week since M.E.C.H had kidnapped Jack, or he guessed it was around a week, judging when Damien brought him food and water (also bringing a headache to Jack).

Though Jack would never admit it, he was glad to at least have some human contact, even if it was the insane leader of M.E.C.H.

The medics that came to implant cybernetics in him never talked with him, only sedated him (twice by needle, three times by mask). Even though he couldn't see the cybernetic implants, he could feel something disturbing when Damien touched his shoulder or such.

The blindfold had yet to be removed, and Jack was starting to wonder if he'd be perminately blinded by light when it was removed.

Jack jumped when the door opened, scraping shut behind someone and the now familiar chuckle of Damien echoed through the room.

"Hey Jack. Sleep well?"

Jack scowled, coughing as cigarette smoke was blown into his face. He turned his head away from the direction of the man's voice.

"Now Jackie-boy, don't be like that. I have a surprise for you." Damien said as he moved forward.

Jack's head snapped back forward when he heard multipule footsteps and the sound he now associated with machinery.

"A surprise. Not exactly a good thing to hear, coming from you." The raven haired teen snapped. Damien laughed full throatedly.

"That hurts, kid, that really does. For your information, I was going to contact Agent Fowler, and let your precious Autobots see you. I'd let you see them but..." He paused, chuckling. "What fun would that be?"

"Sir, it's ready."

Damien smirked, moving away from Jack, and turning to the camera.

"Good, go ahead."

**Autobot base 3rd POV**

"Prime!"

Everyone jumped when Fowler suddenly yelled down at Optimus.

"Yes Agent Fowler?"

"I'm getting a video call...from M.E.C.H."

This got everyone on their feet, and the Prime looked to Ratchet.

"Ratchet, are you able to transfer the call to the main monitor?"

"Yes, of course."

Ratchet quickly transfered the video chat onto the monitor and everyone was surprised when they saw a man standing in a dark, metal walled room. A cig was between his fingers.

"Hey there, Agent Fowler. And the Autobots! Pleased to finally meet you. Silas told me a lot about you all, 'fore he went out of commision."

"Who are you?" Fowler snapped, leaning forward. The man laughed, the tone chilling.

"I see Silas never told you. Never thought he answered to anyone? Come on, Agent Fowler, use your head! I may be younger than Silas, but that doesn't mean I ain't higher on the food chain, yeah? Hehehe."

Optimus exchanged a look with Fowler before moving forward and spoke.

"Then you are the true leader of M.E.C.H?"

The man took a long drag of his cig, taking his time to answer.

"My name's Damien Grey, and yes, I'm the leader of M.E.C.H. Besides, how else could I order for Jack to be brought here?"

Arcee suddenly moved up, slamming her fist onto the control's (luckily missing the buttons).

"Where is he?"

Everyone was shocked when Damien laughed full throatedly, head thrown back.

"Ah, if it isn't Jack's 'partner'. Don't worry, Jackie-boy is perfectly fine, isn't that right, Jack?"

Damien moved back to stand next to a chained Jack. Everyone was shocked and horrified to see wires, circutry and metal weaved over his shoulder, right ribs and right jaw. The teen's head was down, raven hair hiding his face.

"JACK!"

"Arcee?"

Everyone gaped when the teen's head turned up to his partners voice, only to reveal he was blindfolded.

Optimus' optics snapped to the man.

"What have you done to him?"

Damien kneeled down next to Jack, two fingers dipping under the teen's chin to lift his head up at a slightly painful angle.

"...Silas saw you Autobots as the ultimate weapon for humanity. I let him use all the resources he needed, because I believed him...At first. Then I heard about Jack, how he'd saved his mother and partner. How he outsmarted my SIC, _and_ that 'Airachnid' Cybertronian.

"While I allowed Silas to spend all the funds he wanted, just to keep him satisfied, I kept a close eye on Jackie here."

Jack flinched as cold steel drew across his hip and Damien pressed two figners to the wound.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Arcee screamed, enraged. Damien chuckled as his blood stained fingers moved from the newly inflicted wound to Jack's lips.

Jack tried to keep them shut, but the fingers pushed past, and once again, the teen was forced to taste his own blood.

"You see, Jack here has advanced instincts, much more evolved from the basic fight or flight instinct. I could see it in the footage I was sent. Every word he spoke, every movement, all thought out so _carefully_. His senses are much more intune then most others."

Jack strugled desperately, trying to get the man away, despising the metalic taste in his mouth, but the fingers only continued to force the crimson liquid onto his tongue.

"Nngh!"

The 'bots, Miko, Raf, Fowler and Jack's mother were disgusted and horrified.

Damien chuckled as he removed his fingers from the teens mouth, allowing Jack to gasp in air and blood to drip from his lips.

"You see, Jack here has a ninty-seven percent syncro rate with all the Cybernetic implants known, even a few Cybertronian ones Silas dug up. Jack is the ultimate weapon, with a few adjustments, that is."

Another strike of steel across the scar placed on Jack's cheek days before. Damien went behind the teen, hand tilting the teens head so that the cut was in clear view.

"And I must admit, Jack's funny when riled up."

Jack winced when Damien slowly ran his tongue over the cut, smirking at the looks on the faces of Jack's 'family'.

"Don't worry, Jack will be just fine under my care."

Damien looked over at the door as it opened, and a medical officer stepped into the room.

"Sir, we're ready to begin implanting the next cybernetics."

Damien gave a fake pout, giving one last lick to the cut on the boys cheek. He then stood.

"Alright then, sorry but this'll have to be cut short. Goodbye, Agent Fowler, Optimis Prime."

Arcee moved forward.

"_**NO!**_"

The screen went blank.

"_**JACK!**_"

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Jack winced as a sharp pain ran over his shoulder while the door opened.

"Hey Jack, ready for that nasty blindfold to come off?"

It took all of Jack's will power to keep from yelling out 'yes' in relief as Damien's hands fiddled with the tight knot.

The silk slipped away and Jack hissed, blinking and tearing up as for the first time in over a week, he was able to see.

Then he heard clicking.

And his vision adjsuted.

He no longer had human eyes, he realized...

He had _optics_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Autobot base, 3rd POV**

"How the frag can all of you just sit there? Jack is in the hands of a fraging insane person!" Arcee screamed as she stormed around angrily.

"Arcee. There is presently nothing we can do, Ratchet was unable to trace the call. Jack is strong, and will be able to handle himself until we are able to find him." Optimus said, trying to sooth the femme's nerves.

Arcee stopped pacing, optics turning to the ground sadly.

"Yes...But still. You saw that man, he is insane."

"And a total perv." Miko added, earning glares from nearly everyone in the room.

Suddenly, June spoke up.

"How could we not notice Jack was being watched? He only ever was with us in base, at home with me, at school and at work. He never went anywhere else, he's never socialized with anyone."

Silence reigned for a moment.

"It is possible that a bug could have been planted in his home and work and perhaps even his school. But I can't be sure, there arn't any bugs planted in base." Ratchet suddenly said. Optimus looked to the medbot.

"Is there any way for you to search these places, old friend?"

"Hm, perhaps, if I use the holoform tech, but it will take a few days. But...if I can find any, then I might be able to track where its collected data is sent."

Optimus nodded.

"Then please proceed with haste."

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Jack glanced around the room, familiarizing himself with the room he'd been in for over a week. It felt strange to know that, but also knowing he'd been blind to it the whole time.

It was dimly lit, and the walls were dull brick. The floor was cold and smooth cement (which was painful on his knee's, now rubbed raw due to the fact he was still chained in a way that made him sit on his knee's).

Jack had also taken the time to examine the cybernetic implants. Some in his shoulder, ribs and he was sure his jaw as well. He could feel the circutry instilled in his left calf, and some on the back of his neck.

The raven haired teen's optics clicked as they adjusted, looking up at the steel door as it opened.

Damien walked in, a package in his hands. He smirked at the teen while the door shut behind him, and Jack scowled, looking away with a 'hmph'.

Damien chuckled as he moved forward, setting the package down and sitting in front of the teen.

"Hey Jack, liking the optics?"

"Shut up." The teen muttered in reply, glancing at the man angrily for a moment. Damien smirked before turning and opening the box.

"I brought you a change of clothes, this should be better suited for you." Damien commented as he moved to Jack.

"Relax." Damien chided, noticing the teen's tenseness. The man stood, moving back to the door.

"I'll let you change in privacy, you have five minutes."

Damien lifted a hand, revealing a small press switch in his palm. the door opened a jar, and Damien pressed the switch.

The cuffs fell away from his hands and ankles, and Jack slowly moved, his arms lowering from the position they'd previously been held.

He stared at his raw wrists in surprise, then looked up when the door shut.

Jack grimaced as he slowly stood, but his legs failed on him, making him fall. he'd forgoten that he'd been forced to stay in the same position on his knee's for a long time.

He attempted it once again, leaning on the wall and suceeding this time. He then scowled as he lifted the clothing from the package. A black, sleeveless shirt that latched at the front with two, silver colored latches. A pair of black pants that held straps for many weapons, and black fingerless gloves.

Jack grumbled, grudgingly pulling on the clothing (prefering them to his now ripped clothes).

They fit perfectly, hugging him lightly, they allowed him to move freely.

The door scraped open ajar, and Damien slipped in.

He reminded Jack of the cheshire cat. His movements were gracefull and smooth, he seemed boneless at times, and he had a cheshire's twisted grin.

He moved forward before circling the teen, eye's raking over him a few times...

_'Wow. I feel almost violated.'_ Jack thought to himself.

He stopped in front of the raven teen, then in one swift movement, Jack found his wrists again chained to the wall by a two foot chain. How Damien was able to be so fast, Jack would never know.

Jack grunted as Damien twined a hand through his hair and lightly tugged, tilting the teen's head back.

"Optics are very fitting for you, Jackie-boy." He commented, earning a low growl from the teen.

Damien studied Jack some more, allowing his hand to stray to the wires at the teens shoulder.

Jack made a strangled sound as the wires sent unpleasent sensations through him. Taking notice of this, Damien chuckled, smirking as he leaned forward to run his tongue over the wires that crossed over the side of Jack's jaw.

"St-stop that." Jack snapped, strugling to move away from the cause of the strange and uncomfortable sensations. Damien knew just how to hit all his buttons.

"Only one more update is needed, then you can start your training. Isn't that great?"

Jack turned his head away, glaring at the floor.

"Oh, c'mon now, don't be like that!" Damien taunted, placing his hands on Jack's shoulders and giving them a light squeeze.

The teen shrugged the hands off, turning his piercing glare onto the man behind him.

"Don't touch me you bastard!" Jack snapped, his optics adjusting and locking onto his 'target'.

"Relax, Jack. You're just going to whind up hurting yourself if you keep up with such a violent attitude."

Damien gently touched the raw flesh that peeked out from under the chains on Jack's wrists, and the teen winced as the pressure made the wounds sting.

With a last chuckle, Damien left the room, leaving Jack in the silent room once again.

The raven haired teen shifted slightly, the chains clicking together with the movement.

He wondered if this was how a caged animal felt, and if so, if they ever became accustomed to the cramped spaces and innability to move.

No, probably not.

Jack let a small sigh escape his lips, giving a gentle tug to the chains, as though hoping the tiny movement would break the metal links, but it, of course, failed.

He moved forward slightly, pressing his forehead to the cold, metal wall.

He held back tears as the chains rubbed the raw flesh on his wrists, and he was sad to realize, he could now barely feel the pain now.

A sound brought his attention back to the door, and he looked up, optics clicking lightly.

Many doctors moved into the room, and Jack felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His muscles tightend, hands clentching into fists.

He would _not_ let this happen. He would _not_ be some experiment, some weapon to simply be used then discarded.

The chains fell from his wrist...

"_**RAGH!**_"

The man went flying into a wall. Jack was surprised at his own strength, but shook off the shock and moved, slamming his foot into another man in a lab coat. A woman moved forward, and Jack swung his fist into her jaw.

"THE SYRINGE! GET THE SYRINGE!"

Jack growled, turning to the scientists and medical experts who rushed to do as they were told.

The raven teen moved forward, slamming into the cart. It slammed to the ground loudly, the items it had held tumbling, the glass pieces shattering.

A few shards of glass flew past, slicing Jack's cheek and biting into his palms, but he ignored them. Instead, his focus was centered completely on the open metal door.

He was just a foot away from escape...

Jack gagged as a hand wrapped tightly around his throat and he was lifted from the ground.

Damien stepped into the room, still holding the teen's thorat as he continued to move back.

"My, Jack. Trying to escape? Now that hurts, and here I thought I was being so hospitipal!" The man taunted, continuing back until Jack's back met the wall.

The raven teen's hands scrabled at the hand that held his throat, fighting to try and breathe as he glared down at Damien.

The man smirked, clicking his tongue and shaking his head.

"Now you have to be punished." He said, voice sickeningly cheerful.

Jack's stomach dropped as a sense of dread fell over him, but he hid it, continuing to claw at the hand that held him.

Damien looked over at the lead medical officer.

"I give you permission to operate him without a sedative. Just strap him down and he should be a good boy, right Jackie?" Damien said, turning his tauntingly expectant face to the teen once again.

Jack growled deeply.

"Go to hell!"

Damien simply chuckled as more medical personal came in with a metal gurney.

The man then turned, slamming Jack painfully hard onto the gurney. He then watched, a cheerful smile on his face as the medical personal wrestled Jack's wrists and ankles into the restraint straps.

"See you later, Jackie-boy!" He said, waving as the teen was wheeled out of the room.

**Jack's POV**

I growled, strugling against the restraints that held me down as the medical and science personal wheeled me into what closely resembled a hospital operation room.

"Please, you have to let me go!" I pleaded, my optics darting from one person to the next.

They all ignored me.

"Listen to me, damnit!"

They continued to ignore me.

"Is the prostetic ready?" A man, the lead medical officer, I assumed, asked another.

"Yes sir, it's ready to be syncronized with the test subject."

I froze when the scientist moved to reveal a _prostetic arm_.

It was a dark grey metal, but shining white and lightning blue wires and circuts weaved here and there across the metal. The fingers were sharp and inhuman, reminding me almost of Megatron's own, clawed fingers.

"Are you sure we shouldn't sedate him, sir?"

"Yes, I'd rather not face Mr. Grey's fury. We were hired to do a job, we follow his orders. Unless you wish to speak with him as to why you question his orders?"

"N-no sir."

"Then there will be no sedative. We finish the job and leave rich, simple as that."

This man was sick, almost like a 'con, I thought to myself.

"Strap down his torso and head. We can't afford to make a mistake at this stage."

I strugled agin as two medical operatives moved forward and did as they were instructed.

I couldn't move now. I was tied down, feeling like these people were lions, and I was the prey.

I screamed as they cut into my left arm.

But my screams fell on deaf ears.

* * *

_**I am sooo sorry for not updating sooner! I am brain blocked on all my stories! So I need your help! Please, tell me if you have any ideas for any of my stories! Thanks guys!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Jasper, 3rd POV**

"Woah! You guys look awesome!" Miko cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

The 'bots all examined themselves, becoming accustomed to their holoforms (A/N: I'll put links up on my profile if you want to see what they look like).

June smiled, laughing as she walked towards the front door of the house.

"Miko's right, you all look just like humans." She commented, pulling the keys from her pocket and unlocking the door, entering with the others following in her wake.

Flicking on the light switch, June removed her shoes and moved down the short entry hall, passing by the stairs that led to the second floor, instead leading everyone into the livingroom.

Everyone moved at a slower pace. The 'bots and Fowler, of course, had never been in the Darby household. Surprisingly, neither had Miko or Raf, never having had a reason to go inside the house.

The furniture was worn and second-hand, showing the financial troubles the Darby's had been suffering.

Now everyone understood why Jack worked a crappy job.

"Go ahead and explore, just don't break anything."

She raised a brow at Miko, who held her hands up.

"What? Why are you looking at me!"

June rolled her eyes, smiling.

Everyone roamed about, 'Bee, June and Bulk going into the kitchen while the others went examined the livingroom for any hidden cameras.

Arcee found her interest caught, not by anything out of place, but rather the pictures on the mantle of the fireplace.

Moving forward, she gently picked up one of the frames, and examined the picture it held.

A woman stood beside a man who kneeled beside a young boy. All of them had raven hair.

Arcee immediately could identify the woman as June darby, though she was younger in the picture, with sholder length hair and not as many worry lines on her features. She was smiling down at the man and young boy.

The man was unfamiliar, but considering how he looked fairly similar to Jack, Arcee could guess the man was Jack's father. He was smiling softly, one arm wrapped around the young boy at his side. He had light tan skin, stunningly blue eyes and his raven hair fell to a length just above his shoulders, and he had a five o' clock shadow.

The young boy took awhile, but Arcee's eyes widend as she realized the six year old was _Jack_.

He was smiling brightly, making sure that the camera could show his newly lost tooth. His arms wrapped around his father's neck, cheek pressed against the man's, his dark, blue-grey eyes sparkiling happily. Arcee smiled, letting a single laugh fall from her lips as she ran her fingers lightly over the small boy in the photo.

"That photo was taken ten years ago."

Arcee jumped slightly in surprise, looking to see that June had walked up to stand at her side. The woman was smiling fondly at the picture.

"The man...he's Jacks sire?" Arcee asked hesitantly.

"If by sire, you mean father, then yes. His name was Hunter."

Arcee was silent for a moment, staring back down at the photo before looking back up at June.

"You once said that Jack's sire left you both..."

June's eyes darted up to Arcee, brows raised. Then her features lit with recognition.

"Oh! I didn't mean it in that way. No, definately not in that way. Hunter loved Jack and I more than anything, he would have never left us intentionaly."

The woman looked down at the photo, sadness in her eyes.

"This picture was taken a few months before...Before Hunter died."

Arcee remained silent, allowing June to take the photo and replace it on the mantle. The raven woman then turned and moved to one of the side tables, rumaging through the drawer before pulling out what looked like a news paper cliping. June looked at it for a moment, then offered it to Arcee.

The femme accepted it, and looked over it.

The headline was in large, bold letters.

**"Local Father Dies Protecting Son"**

Arcee slowly let her eyes wander across the words of the article.

_"Hunter Darby, 28, died at Jasper Medical Hospital at 10 pm on the night of April seventh after suffering several bullet wounds while protecting his son, Jackson Darby, 6, from an attack at 8:15 pm on the same night of his death. Local police believe that the attack was staged by the recently disbanded criminal gang, The Knife Cutters. When questioned on the attack, Jackson Darby said that his father had been hurt while protecting him from the men that attacked them. Jackson Darby suffered minimal injuries, and is to be released from the hospital on April tenth."_

Arcee couldn't read any more, instead shutting her eyes and swallowing the lump that had grown within her throat.

"Arcee?"

The femme looked up at Optimus, who was watching her with concern. She merely offered the newspaper cliping to the Prime, then continued her search for any cameras that may have been planted in the house.

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

(A/N: I was listening to some certain music online when I wrote this part, here's the link, music starts at 2:35  watch?v=DmBfm2zzs6c )

Jack sat in one corner of the room he was now accustomed to.

The raven teen's still human hand was pressed to where his left shoulder met the prostetic arm, that had been installed roughly a week before.

Three weeks. Three weeks since he'd last seen his family. Three weeks since he'd been forced from his home.

Three. Fraging. Weeks.

He winced as the cold metal made his fingers sting before the tips of his fingers fell numb.

Jack looked up when the door scrapped open, and two M.E.C.H soldiers came in.

Jack allowed them to chain his wrists and pull him to his feet, and willingly followed them, in no mood to fight with anyone at the moment.

He allowed them to lead him down multipule halls, his optics locked on his feet, he refused to look up.

He was shoved into a room, then the chains were removed and the door shut, locking him in the room.

Looking up finally, Jack was shocked to find himself in what seemed to be the beginging of a _maze_.

The teen's optics snapped upward when a laugh echoed through the room. A single intercom sat above the door.

_**"Time for your training to begin, Jack."**_

Jack growled under his breath as Damien's voice filled the still air.

_**"Think of this as a challenge, I know you'll like the reward."**_

Jack remained silent, glaring at the intercom.

_**"You see, at the end of this little maze, is the exit. So you see, at the end, your reward is escape...But if you fail one of the tests in this maze? Well, heh, you'll just have to start all over again!"**_

Jack scowled, hating the cheerful tone in Damien's voice. But inside, he felt his heart lift.

At the end of this maze was his way to freedom? The way to end the pain and misery he'd been suffering?

The teen pursed his lips for a moment, contemplating if this was truely a way out or some sick joke of Damien's. He then made his mind and took off.

_'I am nothing like Optimus, I can't protect anyone, no matter how hard I try...But I won't fail them, I might not be Optimus, but I am strong enough to break free! I won't let you win, Damien, I won't become your weapon! I am not your slave! I WILL ESCAPE!'_

Black walls passed by, dimply lit. His bright blue optics cast haunting shadows on the walls as he turned down corner after corner. Stanima that he'd never known he had, fueling him as he continued on, barely breathing hard.

How he knew when and where to turn, he didn't know. All he knew was that some deeply buried sense was emerging, showing him what path to take. If it lead to trouble, he didn't know, but one thing he knew was that it was the only path to take.

**Else where in M.E.C.H base**

Damien watched Jack from the monitor of the security camera. His face was serious, no trace of humor in it, a rare sight.

_'This is unbelievable! He's had no training, but he can tap into his base instincts with the help of the cybernetics...'_

Damien suddenly turned his head, looking at one of the M.E.C.H soldiers.

"Begin the first test, try and stop him there. If you fail to do that, then try to stop him before he reaches the halfway point."

"Yes sir."

Damien's attention returned to the monitor, muscles tense. He hadn't considered before, but what if Jack _did_ make it to the end and escape?

**Jack's POV**

I slowed my pace, tensing at a familiar feeling in the back of my mind. It always seemed to happen right before danger came, but this time, it seemed that to get through the maze, I'd have to face dangerous tasks anyways.

I slowly walked forward and turned.

I was surprised to find the the walls spread, making the shape of a large room. Five M.E.C.H soldiers stood, unarmed but obviously trained in hand-to-hand.

They stood, waiting for me to make the first move. And I took the chance to inspect them.

Then I noticed it.

The helmets they wore.

They limited the vision of the soldier's a great deal, and that was my advantage. I took another look, noticing that one soldier seemed to favor his right leg. Another soldier rubbed his sholder for a moment, a sign that the arm was a weak point for him.

I took a deep breath, calming myself before I took a stance.

I decided to first take out the others that had no other weak spots aside from limited sight, then I would handle the two that favored a certain limb.

I attacked.

The men charged, meeting me halfway. I ducked under the swing of one, bringing my knee up as I used my hands to drag down one soldiers head and kneeing the man, letting him collapse.

_'I may not understand what I'm doing, I'm no fighter, but I know that I won't be stopped, not by these men, and not by anyone else.'_

I spun, kicking another man in the jaw and sending him flying.

A foot hit my shoulder, but I used the momentum, spinning and leaning back, one hand on the ground for balance while I swung my foot up, sending a third to the ground, down for the count.

The final two were the one's I had decided to take down last, and I was releaved that my plan had gone correctly.

I jammed the sharp, almost claw like fingers of my prostetic arm into the weak arm of one of the soldiers, making him crumple to the ground, cradling his arm. I then jammed my foot into the other soldiers knee of the leg he treated with care.

As he went down with a shriek, I took off again, continuing through the maze.

* * *

_**Alright, I wanted to thank Foxbear for the idea of the maze training thingie! Here Foxbear, have a cookie ^_^ If anyone has ideas for my stories, then please, by all means, share them with me! Till next time, I'll see y'all later! :D**_


	8. Chapter 8

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Jack kneeled down by the soldier he had just knocked out, searching the man for food or water.

It had been two days or so since he'd been placed within the maze, and he had quickly learned that if he wanted to continue on without starving or becoming dehydrated, he'd have to swipe supplies from the M.E.C.H operatives he'd find around what felt like every corner. Jack was now positive the supplies had been purposely planted on the M.E.C.H soldiers for the purpose of his survival.

But he had a feeling that fighting the soldiers was only the tip of the iceburg.

Jack sighed, standing before moving on through the maze. His optics, purple in color, added to the dim lighting, making his trek a bit easier. Though, the purple unsettled Jack slightly as well, reminding him of the remaints of dark energon that had stuck to Arcee when she had attempted to save Cliffjumper.

Jack shook his head, quickening his pace and continuing on, the only sound his footsteps, and his slightly heavy breathing.

He finally stopped to rest when he figured he'd been moving for a fair amount of time, and he sat, back against one of the dark walls. The teen then reached up to massage the place where his skin melded into the prostetic arm, easing the pain there.

Reaching into the pack he'd swiped from one of the soldiers, he pulled out some of the food he'd rationed. Jack ate contentedly, but even though his position was lax, his senses were hightend and on edge, taking in each shifting shadow and slightest sound.

Once finished with the small ration of food he'd allowed himself, Jack reached back into the pack and pulled out the most recent addition to the pack, a cold, metal thermos, filled with water that Jack had deemed to be clean and un-poisoned earlier.

Jack winced when the sound of metal scraping metal echoed slightly as his prostetics claw like fingers lightly raked over the thermos as he removed the top and pressed it the container to his lips. He tilted his head back slightly and allowed the cool, soothing water ease his throat, which burned from his labored breathing previously.

The teen then replaced the top and shoved the thermos back into the pack, slinging the bag over his shoulder before begining his tiring trek again.

**Elsewhere in M.E.C.H base**

Damien stared at the screen, brow furrowed as he sat there, legs crossed with one elboe on his knee, head perched atop his hand.

"This kid just doesn't give up..." He muttered to himself, watching as the teen rounded another corner.

"His instincts are telling him to cotinue, even if there's danger...He's learning quick, he's already learned to steal the rations he needs from the soldiers..."

Damien suddenly stood, startling the others in the room. He turned his gaze to the head medical officer.

"Try and slow his progress, injure him if you need to. Don't kill him."

"Yes sir."

**Jack's POV**

I felt my skin prickle, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I halted.

Another test was ahead, approaching me.

I set my pack aside, not wanting to by weighed down by it, and I got into a fighting stance.

Two large mecha turned the corner at the end of the other hall. Both large, bulky, slow, but heavily armed. I'd have to be careful if I wanted to avoid anyone being killed.

The two large mecha moved forward, and I felt fear...

But I was ready.

I don't remember what I did. The rush of adrenaline made everything dissapear from my mind. All I know was that next thing I knew, I was staring down at the two destroyed mecha, and the two soldiers that had been operating them where knocked out.

I quickly moved to the two men, making sure that they were still alive before going over to the mecha. I flinched as data streamed across my vision, my optics providing the information I wished for.

Careful not to apply to much strength to my grip with my metal hand, I began to hotwire the mecha to send out a distress signal. I could only pray that the 'bots would come, though with it being an Autobot or Decepticon signal, they might not come at all.

Or the 'cons could come.

That was not a thought I wished to harp on.

Soon the signal was working, but so were the alarms in the building. I guessed that this wasn't something Damien thought would happen.

I quickly moved away from the mecha, detangling myself from the wires and getting ready to fight (though not fight for my life, as Damien already said many times before, I was supposedly to valuable).

About a dozen soldiers rounded the corner, four armed with guns.

I felt my heart pound in my chest painfully hard, and my shoulder ached as it always did now whenever danger was near.

My fingers curled slightly, and I flinched when there was a light scrape when the short, prostetic claws made a slight scraping sound as they raked over the metal of my palm.

I could use my talons to take out a few. But I refused to kill them, so it would be difficult to take them all on...

I had to take them on though. If I ever wanted to see the 'bots again, I had to fight.

I had to fight...and win.

I had to win and live!

Everything went black.

**3rd POV**

A near inhuman roar suddenly echoed through the maze, making the M.E.C.H soldiers stop in their tracks.

They stared at Jack, eyes wide as the teen's prostetic arm changed...

Into a _blade_.

His optics went from a dim glow to a bright shine, the purple illuminating the maze corridors.

Another animalistic sound was torn from the teen's throat...

He attacked.

Jack's movements were wild, dangerous and quick. His arm-turned-blade easily ripped apart the guns and mecha's. The soldiers that had been in the mecha's were unconcious, blood trickling from the wounds caused by the flying debris of metal from their mecha.

The sight of blood seemed to only increase his anger, and he proceeded to attempt to take down the other soldiers.

Strangely enough, he avoided killing any of them, even though he was completely unaware of what he was doing.

**Elsewhere, 3rd POV**

Damien stared at the monitor, a cig dangling between two fingers as he watched the raven teen take down the soldiers.

His face, usually decorated with sinister humor, now showed incredulousness.

"I've never seen anything like this in my life time...His mind goes into a complete lockdown and allows instinct to take complete control..." The man murmured to himself.

"But it didn't happen the other times..."

The cheif medical officer that stood at his side, spoke up.

"Sir. I believe that perhaps this reaction is linked to certain emotions. Most likely he feels desperate to win so that no one may tamper with the destroyed mecha that he is using to send a signal."

Damien nodded, taking a long drag from his cigarette before dropping it and using the heel of his shoe to put it out.

"And the blade? How the hell did he manage that?"

"I-I am unsure, sir. I a-am unexperienced in th-that field. I-I suggest that you speak w-with the leader of th-the science devision." The medic replied, suddenly nervous when Damien's hand wandered to touch a gun at his side.

The man laughed, the other's anxiety not escaping his attention.

"Relax, I'm not going to shoot you...today, at least. But you're right, I should be asking the science devision. Could you go get the devision leader for me?"

"Y-Yes sir!"

Damien chuckled.

"That's the spirit!" He taunted, giving the man a rough shove towards the door before turning his attention back to the monitor.

**Autobot base, 3rd POV**

"Optimus! A signal as come up on the long range scanners." Ratchet called from across the room, his optics trained on the blip on the monitor.

Everyone quickly gathered around, staring as well as the light continued to blink.

"Is it an Autobot distress signal?"

"No. It seems to not be of Cybertronian origin."

Miko suddenly spoke up.

"Hey! Maybe it's Jack!"

Optimus looked down at the human femme, face grave.

"It is very unlikely that Jack holds the knowledge to create a signal strong enough to pick up."

Raf was next to speak, moving to the railing.

"But...But it's worth a shot, isn't it?"

Silence reigned for a few moments.

"Optimus, I agree with Raf. It might be a small chance, but it's still a chance." Arcee said, breaking the silence.

The other's all nodded in agreement, and after a moment of thought, Optimus looked at Ratchet.

"Ratchet, fire up the groundbridge."

The medic nodded and the 'bots turned to the swirling vortex.

"Autobots, roll out!"

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

Jack's optics snapped open and he gasped.

What had happend? The last thing he remembered...

The onyx haired teen immediately looked around, shocked.

The soldiers were scattered, all groaning in pain, blood trickling from wounds made by a...a blade?

Jack searched the room, but found no knife that he could've used. So the blade must have already been with him somehow.

The raven teen stiffend, then slowly looked down.

His prostetic arm was in the form of a long blade, it's dark metal stained with blood.

"Oh my god...what...what did I do?" Jack muttered, staring fearfully at the blade.

All he knew was that one minute, he was getting ready to fight, then everything went black. Next thing he knew he was standing in the middle of a bloody battlefield.

He also realized, he could have killed one of the men. Luckily, it seemed he hadn't, which releaved the teen.

Jack looked down again at the arm-turned-blade, willing it to turn back into its original form.

He then remembered, the signal!

The raven male quickly rushed to the mecha and rechecked the wires, releaved to find them untouched.

Jack turned away, rolling his shoulders as he walked over to one of the soldiers.

It took a bit of time, but Jack had managed to gather the soldiers and tie them up with a few long wires from the destroyed mecha. He then sat down by the mecha he was using as a signal, taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves.

He wasn't just scared, he was _terrified_ beyond belief. But he pushed the emotions aside, knowing he had to keep calm if he wanted to get anywhere (though blinding fear and anger seemed to work well when the odds were against him in battle).

Jack didn't know how long he sat there, waiting. It could've been minutes, it could've been hours, he wasn't really sure.

Then a familiar sound came.

Jack looked over the beck of the mecha, smiling almost unbelievingly when he saw a green, swirling vortex.

A _groundbridge_.

The ebony haired youth stood, jumping over the mecha and running towards the groundbridge that was a fair thirty feet away.

The 'bots came through! Bulk, 'Bee and Optimus and...and Arcee!

A sudden gunshot rang, and Jack skidded to a halt, looking over to the entry to one of the maze's corridors. A group of M.E.C.H soldiers were there, along with four mecha.

Jack took a deep breath.

_'Stay calm...you can do this, the 'bots have your back.'_ Jack reminded himself as he prepared himself.

The 'bots, not noticing him, had begun to try and take down the soldiers without killing them.

Jack attacked!

The Autobot's stared in shock as Jack pounced on one of the men, taking him down easily and moving on to one that was armed with a gun.

"The mecha! Get the mecha!" Jack yelled the the 'bots, dodging a punch.

The 'bots, getting over their initial shock, focused on the mecha, taking them down (carefully, as not to kill the soldiers inside).

"Go through the 'bridge! I'll follow!"

"Jack-!"

"Just go! I'll be right behind you!"

Arcee hesitated a moment longer while the other's fell back, but she soon gave in and ran to the groundbridge, placing her trust in the teen just as the others were.

When the 'bots all were through, they turned to look into the swirling green vortex, waiting aprihensively.

"Come on Jack...Come on..." Arcee murmured, feeling as though she was about to collapse with stress.

Then a figure appeared. A human one...

_Jack_.

The teen ran, glancing over his shoulder before looking back forward.

"Ratchet! Close it! Close the groundbridge!"

The medic nodded, waiting until the moment Jack had gotten out of the 'bridge before slamming down on one of the controls.

The groundbridge vanished in a burst of static and Jack sighed with relief. Then the air was slightly knocked out of him as he was tackled in an embrace from not only June, but Raf and Miko as well.

Jack stumbled a bit, but steadied himself before returning the embrace.

Everyone was so relieved that no one noticed something very different about the teen. Raf was the first to realize as he turned his head.

"Jack...!"

The younger boy was looking at his prostetic arm now, eyes wide. Jack sighed, pulling away.

"Yeah, that would be my most recent 'upgrade'. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt much anymore."

The words stung everyone. Jack had suffered so _much_, yet forced himself to brush it off with a shrug.

The raven youth offered everyone an exhausted smile.

"You guys don't know...how happy I...am...to...see you-"

June, Miko and Raf barely caught Jack as he collapsed, unconcious.

Ratchet quickly took the teen from them and went into the medbay, carefully placing Jack on the medical berth before begining to hurridly run scans.

"Ratchet, is Jack-"

"He's fine, he simply fainted due to lack of rest. All of the cybernetics seem to be properly implanted, there's no sign of infection. There is some minor bruising, and cuts, he'll live."

The medic turned to the others, his faceplates unusually kind.

"All we can do is allow him to rest for now. He is even equipt with self-repair systems, so any injuries will heal quickly. Now, everyone out, I need to run some more scans and I can't do that if all of you are in here."

With that, the 'bots and humans were shooed out. But all of them were relieved.

Jack was going to be okay.

**M.E.C.H base, 3rd POV**

"He _what_?"

The soldier gulped, trying his hardest not to turn tail and run.

"He...He escaped, sir. The Autobot's came and...He escaped through their portal."

A gun shot rang through the air, making everyone else in the room flinch as the soldier collapsed to the ground, a bullet wound in his head.

Damien was livid. Gone was the man who always had humor dancing in his eyes, replaced now with a furious, deadly killer.

"I want him found. All our resources, _everything_ is to be used to _FIND HIM_!"

A moment of silence.

"Well? Go! You idiots, move it!"

"Yes sir!"

Damien sighed angrily, turning and sitting. He crossed his legs, one arm on the arm rest of the chair, his other hand rubbing at his temple.

A sudden, slight smile twitched at the corners of his lips, then he murmured to himself.  
"Well played, Jack..."


End file.
